Pre-Marital Counselling at Main Street Church

Why Premarital Counselling is Important & Helpful

We highly recommend all couples go through premarital counselling before the wedding. If you’re going to spend so much time planning for your wedding day, it makes sense to take a little time to plan for a successful marriage to last the rest of your lives!

Our pre-marital process is designed to help you and your future spouse prepare for a successful marriage.We want you to have a sound understanding of God’s design for marriage and a realistic picture of what marriage will be like. May God guide and bless you individually and as a couple as you embark on this exciting journey together!

*Please Note: Completion of our pre-marital process is required for you to have a Main Street Church Pastor officiate your wedding ceremony.

Pre-Marital Process and Wedding Information

Complete the PREPARE InventoryA email link will be sent to you upon receiving your Premarital Application. Once both of you have completed the online inventory we will contact you to schedule your first premarital session.

Premarital Sessions

Our premarital sessions are generally one hour in length and you can expect to have 4-5 sessions with the pastor to complete the premarital process. There is some reading and homework required between the sessions.

Premarital Q and A

Q: What should I expect from the premarital experience?

A: You should expect to be challenged, strengthened, educated and better prepared for your future marriage. You will be equipped with new marital skills including identified problem areas and how to make improvements; identified strong points in your relationship and how to work together to bring out the best in one another; and most importantly, a more realistic expectation of what marriage will be like!

Q: What do we talk about during the premarital sessions?

A: You, the bride and groom, will meet with a member of our Pastoral team to discuss the details of the application and inventory you’ve completed. Then, we will give you an overview of the process and discuss the details of what will be covered during your sessions. We will also go over the requirements to be married by a Main Street pastor. During the sessions, we will discuss many subjects, including — God’s plan and purposes for marriage, compatibility, marital roles and responsibilities, communication skills, conflict resolution, intimacy, finances and long-term goals.We will also help you recognize your relational strengths and how they can benefit your marriage, and we’ll teach you how you can work to improve areas where you may need growth.

Q: What is the PREPARE inventory?

A: The PREPARE inventory assesses your relationship in over 20 categories and identifies your relationship strengths and areas that need growth. It is an effective and widely used tool by pastors and counselors. Both of you, the bride and groom, will take the test online and then discuss the results with the pastor.

Q: What is the Cost?

A: Premarital: There is a $100 fee for our Premarital Counseling Process, which includes the Prepare Inventory and reading material. This is made payable to Main Street Church.

Wedding Ceremony: There is a $250 honorarium required for one of our pastors to officiate a wedding ceremony – this includes planning the ceremony, conducting the rehearsal and the ceremony. This is made payable to the specific pastor and may be made before or on the date of the wedding.

*You will need to purchase a government issued marriage license in advance of your ceremony (good for 3 months), which costs $100. Click here for locations in Chilliwack.

Q: What are the specific requirements for a Main Street Pastor to perform the wedding?

A:An individual confession of a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by both the bride and groom. Main Street will not marry an unbeliever to a believer in marriage. God’s Word is clear about spiritual compatibility between marriage partners. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)